Jacob’s Ladder is not just about a Summer Enrichment Program, nor about Climber Retreats and outings during the year – it is also about the whole education and growth of a Jacob’s Ladder climber from 4th grade, to 8th grade, to High School, and beyond.
For the Jacob’s Ladder program this Fall, High School Advocacy specialist Palmer Castrodale spent most of August working on the paperwork for visiting and contacting the 9th and 10th grade Climbers – everything from getting updated addresses and mailing letters and forms, to tracking students down and contacting the schools. In September, visits started in full swing, and to date, she has visited eleven students with more visits planned. The Climbers are thriving in their schools, working hard to manage their busy schedules and academic workloads. Palmer provides them with an accountability partner and support. She share resources with them, and encourages them to draw on the services that their schools provide – everything from school counselors, GRASP advisers, to tutoring programs and more.
As the Fall and Winter progresses, there are some exciting events in the planning stages. Working with our contacts Johneisha and Jose at the University of Richmond, Palmer is planning a college information workshop. The exact date is to be determined, but the target is set for an early weekend in December. In January, she is hoping to partner with an SAT Prep Course instructor (and former summer program teacher) to provide a session for SAT tips and tricks – Climbers should stay tuned and watch their inboxes for more information about this! In March, the University of Richmond would like to offer a second, more targeted informational event focusing on the material that will be most useful for different high school grades.
For those who would like to keep up with the High School Advocacy through social media, the Jacob’s Ladder HSA Instagram page is active and you can follow @theclimbcontinues_jl for updates and information. Palmer will also be sending out a Fall newsletter to all High School Climbers soon.
Schools that have been visited so far:
- St. Catherine’s
- Buckingham County High School
- St. Margaret’s School
- Clover Hill High School
- L.C. Bird High School
- Appomattox Regional Governor’s School
- CodeRVA
- Henrico High School